Oxford Eagle, Tuesday, April 4, 2000
Cupid's Couples Owner Trudi Rose Found Dead
Officials suspect foul play in sudden death

by Joe Pye Weed, Staff Reporter

Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department officials announced late yesterday that the body of Trudi Dyer Rose, 35, was found in the office of her dating service, Cupid's Couples. An employee made the chilling discovery yesterday afternoon when she reported for work.

Few details are known at this time and authorities have declined to comment on the cause of death. Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Public Information Officer Elizabeth Jones did say that detectives have classified Rose's death as "suspicious" and are awaiting autopsy results to conclude whether Rose was murdered or died from natural causes. County Coroner Jennifer Johnson stated that her office is conducting an official autopsy to determine the cause of death and preliminary results are expected in approximately one week.

Rose and her business partner Kelly Clinton started Cupid's Couples in the summer of 1989, following their graduation from The University of Mississippi. Rose often described the matchmaking service as "Oxford's premier dating service" in local advertising, and claimed she had made only "three or four" ill-suited matches in all the years Cupid's Couples has been in business.

Cupid's Couples has rented an office suite in the Ford office building on S. Lamar Avenue since 1990. At first, the business catered primarily to university students, but soon were fielding requests from people throughout Oxford and Yoknapatawpha County who wanted to meet "significant others." Through newspaper and radio advertising and word-of-mouth, Cupid's Couples quickly established itself as Oxford's de facto dating service. Several current Oxford area marriages are the product of Cupid's Couples work.

Rose's body was discovered by Dana Pomeroy, a Cupid's Couples employee, when she arrived for work around 2:30 p.m. Pomeroy reportedly told officials that she entered the offices and called out for Rose. When she heard no answer, she checked Rose's private office and found her collapsed at her desk. Pomeroy told officials that she did not detect a pulse when she checked Rose and called 911 at once to request an ambulance.

Cupid's Couples co-owner Kelly Clinton was "shocked and stunned speechless" when Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department officials told her of Rose's death. "We've been friends for over fifteen years now, and I don't understand this at all. Trudi was friends with everyone in town, absolutely everyone. I can't see how or why anyone would want to kill her. It's baffling," Clinton said when reached for comment.

Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff Taylor Sheldon stated that his office is pursuing a variety of leads at this time. Rose had no known enemies, but Sheriff Taylor says that a variety of people close to Rose are scheduled to be questioned in the upcoming days.

Rose is survived by her husband Bobby Joe Rose, who is an attorney with Milton, Milton, and Rose in Oxford. Funeral arrangements are being handled through Walls Funeral Home in Oxford.